Books by Marijn Stolk
In the 1980s, large-scale excavations took place in the centre of Amsterdam, on the location of... more In the 1980s, large-scale excavations took place in the centre of Amsterdam, on the location of the Vlooienburg neighbourhood, which is today's Waterlooplein. The archaeological finds that were uncovered from the cesspits there provide a wealth of information about daily life and diversity in Vlooienburg in the 17th and 18th centuries. Through an in dept analyses of these finds, this dissertation contributes to a more nuanced picture of the so-called Dutch 'golden age' and attempts to move beyond traditional narratives of prosperity and spices, which has lead to more specific stories about the identity Vlooienburg inhabitants.
This dissertation is compiled of different material studies, related to various aspects of identity, diversity and daily life, embedded in an theoretical framework. A case study concerning Portuguese ceramics underlines the story and daily practice of Portuguese migrants who settled in Amsterdam. The study of the materiality of the earliest Jewish community in Amsterdam discusses the visibility of religious practice within the archaeological record. And other elements of daily life that are represented in this dissertation are related to the care taking of babies and children, and the change in consumer preferences that occurred in the 17th century due to the global trade.
Basisrapportage Archeologie 83, 2020
Archeologisch onderzoek bij het graven van de Vikingrijn in Leidsche Rijn (Utrecht).
Articles by Marijn Stolk
Archeologie in Nederland, jaargang 8, no.3, 2024
Het is een ondergeschoven kindje in de Nederlandse archeo
logie: textiel. Want het blijft nauweli... more Het is een ondergeschoven kindje in de Nederlandse archeo
logie: textiel. Want het blijft nauwelijks bewaard en het wordt
dus maar zelden gevonden. Tenminste, dat is wat de afgelopen
decennia vaak werd aangenomen. Recent onderzoek laat ech
ter zien dat het tegendeel waar is. Een inventarisatie van vond
sten in een aantal archeologische depots in Noord- en Zuid
Holland bracht duizenden vroegmoderne fragmenten textiel
aan het licht. Het meeste textiel was nog niet eerder onder
zocht en/of gepubliceerd, en hierdoor in de vergetelheid geraakt.
Kleos - Amsterdam Bulletin of Ancient Studies and Archaeology Issue 3, 2020
Archaeological excavations of more than 100 cesspits1 in the Vlooienburg neighbourhood in Amsterd... more Archaeological excavations of more than 100 cesspits1 in the Vlooienburg neighbourhood in Amsterdam in 1980‐81 produced several find assemblages, containing significant amounts of objects which can be related to childhood. Miniature artefacts, gaming pieces, toys, rattles and other finds were recovered from the site and help us to shed light on the position of children and the processes of their socialization within the Vlooienburg community between circa 1600 and 1800. The first goal of this paper is to disclose the child‐related archaeological data from Vlooienburg in order to contribute to the archaeological and historical study of children’s identities in the past. Through a first analysis of these finds the second goal is to enrich our understanding of the care for children in the 17th and 18th century. In order to do so, this paper will first discuss the artefacts related to babies and toddlers, followed by the investigation of toys and play time for children of an older age. A specific element within the analysis of the toys will be the study of the many miniature artefacts that were uncovered during the Vlooienburg excavations. They make up a significant part of this study due to their role in children’s games, in which daily adult life and routine was mimicked by children, encouraging their socio‐cultural development.
Ex Novo Journal of Archaeology, 2018
During urban expansions around 1600 a new neighborhood, Vlooienburg, was created in the rapidly g... more During urban expansions around 1600 a new neighborhood, Vlooienburg, was created in the rapidly growing city of Amsterdam. This new district was not just inhabited by local people, but also by immigrants coming from different European countries. Among those immigrants there were Sephardic Jewish people, who had fled from the Iberian Peninsula due to the persecution perpetrated by the Spanish Inquisition. By studying the archaeological finds that have been recovered from cesspits at Vlooienburg, an attempt is made to gain more knowledge about the composition of different cultural, religious and social identities living together in this area. As a part of the study of the material culture from Vlooienburg, this paper will present a case study that explores the possible relationships between the mobility of Portuguese ceramics and the presence of Portuguese immigrants. The paper will examine the distribution of different Portuguese wares to establish whether there were significant differences in how these ceramics were acquired and used within seventeenth century households in Amsterdam. The main result of this study is the remarkable link between Portuguese coarse cooking wares and the presence of immigrant households.
Book Chapters by Marijn Stolk
In: Beeuwkes 2025, Een Stil Leven.Bronstijdgreppels, Romeinse sporen en een eendenkooi in Strijkviertel (Utrecht) ., 2025
Excavations at an early modern duck decoy site uncovered nearly 2,700 ceramic fragments, represen... more Excavations at an early modern duck decoy site uncovered nearly 2,700 ceramic fragments, representing at least 591 individual objects. A significant portion of these sherds likely originated from landfill deposits used to elevate the terrain and maintain dry conditions. The materials suggest temporary or seasonal use of the site by the duck decoy keeper rather than permanent habitation. Among the finds was a lime egg, used to attract and breed ducks. Notably, a considerable number of large storage jars were recovered, likely used for storing cattle feed or repurposed as breeding spots for ducks. Additionally, so-called "mice pots"—secondary-use cooking vessels buried in the ground to trap mice—were identified, suggesting the storage of products at the location. Other nearly intact cooking wares with visible sooting, including frying pans, indicate regular domestic activities at the site. However, the absence of chamber pots suggests that overnight stays were uncommon. Overall, this assemblage offers valuable insights into the underrepresented suburban landscape of Utrecht, shedding light on the daily practices and adaptive strategies of those managing the duck decoy.
The Archaeology of New Netherland. A World Built on Trade, 2021
Contributing chapter to: The Archaeology of New Netherland
The Archaeology of New Netherland il... more Contributing chapter to: The Archaeology of New Netherland
The Archaeology of New Netherland illuminates the influence of the Dutch empire in North America, assembling evidence from seventeenth-century settlements located in present-day New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Archaeological data from this important early colony has often been overlooked because it lies underneath major urban and industrial regions, and this collection makes a wealth of information widely available for the first time.
Contributors to this volume begin by discussing the global context of Dutch colonization and reviewing typical Dutch material culture of the time as seen in ceramics from Amsterdam households. Next, they focus on communities and activities at colonial sites such as forts, trading stations, drinking houses, and farms. The essays examine the agency and impact of Indigenous people and enslaved Africans, particularly women, in the society of New Netherland, and they trace interactions between Dutch settlers and Europeans from other colonies including New Sweden. The volume also features landmark studies of cooking pots, marbles, tobacco pipes, and other artifacts.
ISBN 9780813066882
Aan de hand van de aard van de slakken wordt vastgesteld of deze afkomstig zijn van processen met... more Aan de hand van de aard van de slakken wordt vastgesteld of deze afkomstig zijn van processen met betrekking tot metaalwinning of metaalbewerking. Hierbij wordt, voor zover mogelijk, gekeken welke metalen zijn verwerkt. Verder wordt gekeken of een relatie is waar te nemen tussen het slakmateriaal en eventuele specifieke sporen. Hierbij kan gedacht worden aan eventuele ovens en/of haarden. Ook andere vondsten zoals smeltkroesjes en baren zijn indicatief voor metaalproductie en/of bewerking.
Waterlooplein: de buurt binnenstebuiten, 2020
Conference Presentations by Marijn Stolk
Presented by M. Stolk & J. Bakker
Papers by Marijn Stolk
At the Apothecary: Life in an International District in 15th-Century Bruges
Medieval Archaeology, 2025
In 1996, a cesspit was uncovered in the backyard of Bruges’ Spanish nation house. The interdiscip... more In 1996, a cesspit was uncovered in the backyard of Bruges’ Spanish nation house. The interdisciplinary study of this old rescue excavation sheds new light on life in the city’s international district between the late 14th and early 16th century. The refuse in the cesspit is what is left of several generations of traders, from a well-to-do apothecary, employing alchemical apparatus in the production of pigments, to Spanish traders documented at the site from the 1480s onwards. This mercantile presence is reflected by an unprecedented array of imported goods, foods, and diseases, ranging from Italian, Spanish and Portuguese ceramics, Near-Eastern glass perfume sprinklers and luxurious silks, to olives, rice and an African parasite. These items give a material dimension to the appeal of Bruges for renowned artists such as Jan van Eyck and spark the debate on the cosmopolitan taste of (non-)local merchants in this international hub of trade.
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Books by Marijn Stolk
This dissertation is compiled of different material studies, related to various aspects of identity, diversity and daily life, embedded in an theoretical framework. A case study concerning Portuguese ceramics underlines the story and daily practice of Portuguese migrants who settled in Amsterdam. The study of the materiality of the earliest Jewish community in Amsterdam discusses the visibility of religious practice within the archaeological record. And other elements of daily life that are represented in this dissertation are related to the care taking of babies and children, and the change in consumer preferences that occurred in the 17th century due to the global trade.
Articles by Marijn Stolk
logie: textiel. Want het blijft nauwelijks bewaard en het wordt
dus maar zelden gevonden. Tenminste, dat is wat de afgelopen
decennia vaak werd aangenomen. Recent onderzoek laat ech
ter zien dat het tegendeel waar is. Een inventarisatie van vond
sten in een aantal archeologische depots in Noord- en Zuid
Holland bracht duizenden vroegmoderne fragmenten textiel
aan het licht. Het meeste textiel was nog niet eerder onder
zocht en/of gepubliceerd, en hierdoor in de vergetelheid geraakt.
Book Chapters by Marijn Stolk
The Archaeology of New Netherland illuminates the influence of the Dutch empire in North America, assembling evidence from seventeenth-century settlements located in present-day New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Archaeological data from this important early colony has often been overlooked because it lies underneath major urban and industrial regions, and this collection makes a wealth of information widely available for the first time.
Contributors to this volume begin by discussing the global context of Dutch colonization and reviewing typical Dutch material culture of the time as seen in ceramics from Amsterdam households. Next, they focus on communities and activities at colonial sites such as forts, trading stations, drinking houses, and farms. The essays examine the agency and impact of Indigenous people and enslaved Africans, particularly women, in the society of New Netherland, and they trace interactions between Dutch settlers and Europeans from other colonies including New Sweden. The volume also features landmark studies of cooking pots, marbles, tobacco pipes, and other artifacts.
ISBN 9780813066882
Conference Presentations by Marijn Stolk
Papers by Marijn Stolk